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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pop — to visit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pop — soda
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. pop — music
  12. stock — shares
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. prune — to trim
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bank — of a river
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bank — for money
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. dip — to sink
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com